Next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday 13 June at the Voice Box, Level 5 of the Royal Festival Hall.<P><B>Ballet - vocational AND academic</B><P>What does it mean to study ballet?<P>To consider the question will be 3 speakers who have experience in both vocatinal and academic settings:<P>Practical Ballet - <B>Patrick Wood</B> ex-Festival, Scottish Ballet and West End, teacher at Lewisham College and Surrey University.<P>Theoretical Studies - <B>Chris Challis</B> Head of Academic Studies at Doreen Bird College, formerly Senior Lecturer in Dance at University of Surrey, Roehampton.<P>Rsearch - <B>Michael Irwin </B> formerly Professor of English at Kent University, Academic Adviser to post-graduate students at London Contemporary Dance School. <P><BR>For more information contafct Jennifer Jackson (jenjackma@aol.com) or Susie Crow (susiecrow@easynet.co.uk).

The development of technology and its impact on the form is part of the history of ballet vis the pointe shoe, gas lighting. But as film, television, computers and the internet developed in the 20th century, did ballet get out of step with technological innovation? New gizmos such as wearable computers are coming thick and fast, and being used and tested in dance - as are new means and environments, interactive, virtual, for making, performing and viewing. The opening up of a treasure chest of potential tools for the artist or is it Pandora’s box?

How are ballet practitioners responding to these new challenges? How are the new technologies shaping our creative processes and concept of art and where are the boundaries between the body and technology? What is the place for such technologies in traditional theatre spaces? Is there a place for ballet in the new environments, and what work opportunities are opened up by digital technology? What are the characteristics of successful dance-tech collaborations? Will ballet make the leap into cyberspace?

We have invited three established experts in the field to give an overview of their own work and current developments and issues: Terry Braun Director of Braunarts, media producer and director who has led Dance Umbrella’s Digital Dance and collaborated with artists such as Shobana Jeyasingh and Cathy Marston Ruth Gibson Dancer and choreographer, working in partnership with digital artist Bruno Martelli as Igloo on dance and technology projects Ghislaine Boddington Director of Shinkansen, artist led research and production unit specialising in the performative use of digital technologies, currently “Future Physical” (featuring work by both Igloo and Tom Sapsford amongst others).

Bring your questions and join us for a glimpse into the future…

Susie Crow and Jennifer Jackson

BIG Discussion Forum events for 2003 are supported by Arts Council England, London

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